1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for laminating together film strips and a transport web, and more particularly to a laminating apparatus adaptable to handle film strips of different sizes having different perforation formats.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Amateur color print film is usually returned from the photofinisher to a customer in the form of several relatively short film strips, each film strip commonly containing either three or four image-bearing frames. The film is cut into strips for easier handling and more convenient storage by the customer. Often, the customer desires additional prints from the film strips and thus returns the film strips to the photofinisher with instructions as to which frames to print and how many prints of each frame are desired. While the film strips are convenient for the customer, when returned they present a handling problem for the photofinisher. Commonly, the film strips are handled by laminating each strip to a continuous transport web which is then fed to a printer which utilizes the transport web to advance and position the film negatives for printing. Once the film strips are laminated to the transport web, the print making process may be controlled by a computer, with an operator pre-selecting the number and size of the prints to be made from each frame. However, the step of laminating the film strips to the transport web is not as readily automated. The problem of laminating the film strips to the transport web is complicated by the fact that amateur film comes in several different sizes e.g., 110, 126 and 135 (commonly referred to as 35mm film), and different sizes may have a different format for the perforations along the film edges.
If the photofinisher produces a high volume of prints from such film strips, it is generally desirable to automate the lamination step. At present, a different laminating apparatus is used for each film size. Typically, an operator sits at the laminating apparatus over which a transport web is advancing and places the film strips for which the apparatus was designed on a series of registration pins, the pins designed and spaced to engage the perforations along an edge of the film strip. From this point, the lamination process proceeds automatically for that film strip. For example, film size 135 is laminated to the transport web in a laminating apparatus designed for that particular film size and perforation format. Similarly, film sizes 126 and 110 each use a different laminating apparatus to achieve automatic lamination of the film strip to the transport web.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,767,513 describes an apparatus for securing film to a tabbing material, which apparatus employs pin members cooperating with uniformly spaced perforations in the film to position the film relative to the tabbing material prior to securing the film and the tabbing material together. The disclosed apparatus was designed to attach tabbing to film before the film is cut in film strips and returned to the customer. A separate tabbing apparatus of the type disclosed in the patent is required for each film size; no mention is made for handling a plurality of film sizes by the same tabbing apparatus.